Improvement in protecting levees



J. JOHNSON. Protecting Levees.

No. 213,822. Patented April 1, 1 879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JERRY JOHNSON, OF BIG BEND, LOUISIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROTECTING LEVEES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,822, dated April 1,1879; application filed December 16, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JERRY J oHNsoN, a resident of Big Bend, parish ofAvoyelles, and State of Louisiana, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Building and Protecting Levees; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and correct description ofthe same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to the construction of levees and embankments;and has for its obiect the protection of the same from the destructiveoperations of'crawfish, who, it is well known, bore through earthyembankments in very irregular and diversified directions, always findingan exit on the opposite side from that from whence they started, henceleavin g so many perforations, through which the water, as it rises onthe outer side of the embankment, naturally finds its way to the innerside of the same. This flow of Water gradually saturates the whole ofthe embankment, while at the same time it enlarges the diameter of theholes through which it passes, thus impairing the effectiveness of thelevee, and resulting, finally, if not properly attended to, in the totaldestruction of the same.

The nature of my invention is clearly shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a leveeprovided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross-section, and Fig. 3 aperspective view, of what may be termed my central wall orlevee-protector.

My invention consists in the construction of two or more rows of plates,to a, &c., the edges of which are folded back on the body of the plates,so that they may be lapped into one another, as at b, and when hammeredor pressed be thereby firmly united. To prevent too great a thickness ofmetallwhere the corners of four plates meet, as well as to insurerapidity and neatness in uniting the same, a limited portion of eachplate should be clipped of, as shown at 0. But very little practice willbe needed to enable an operator to make the proper cut, so as to avoidhaving an opening between the plates when the same are joined together.However, should any openings occur, the same can be effectually closedby means of plugs of any suitable material. The upper edge of the toprow of plates is bent or rolled, so as to form a tube, d, in which isinserted a rod, f, for stiffness as well as alignment.

In the construction of a levee the lower edge of the bottom row ofplates should be sunk a few inches below the surface of the ground, soas to guard against its being pressed out of line by the pressure of theembankment as it is being thrown up. on its front and rear sides.

To insure the preservation of the plates against rust, &c., the sameshould be galvanized, or heavily coated with a composition of asphaltum,tar, or other suitable material.

I am aware that dikes andlevees have some times been constructed withinner walls or cores of metal, wood, or other material, and do nottherefore specially claim such use; but

What I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a levee or embankment, a protectionwall composed of a number ofmetallic plates,

a a, &c., united by lapped edges 12, some of my name.

JERRY JOHNSON. In presence of- J. N. MULLER, JAMES C. KIDDELL.

